


A Step Into the Shadows

by PatrickVI



Category: Runescape (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-14 05:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20595470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatrickVI/pseuds/PatrickVI
Summary: Just some practice at writing a Second Age Journal from inside the Zarosian Empire





	A Step Into the Shadows

Chapter 1 - On My Own  
Senntisten, the crown jewel of the Zarosian Empire. People travel miles to this holy land of Zaros. While the city truly is a marvel, Zaros forbid if you find yourself living amongst the homeless of Senntisten. That is sadly where I have found myself now. My father was a commander in the army and was killed in a skirmish with Saradomin. When I returned home looking for a job I had found my mother and younger brother had run off, no doubt to avoid my younger brother from joining the same fate. Sadly we were living in a boarding type house, so with my mother and younger brother gone, I had no way to pay for myself. Our landlord was a cruel Vampyre. He offered me to pay in my own blood instead of coin. I refused and was promptly kicked out. I have heard rumors of the demons that feed off the homeless of Senntisten. Sadly the rumors seem to be true. Last night I saw an unimaginable nightmare of limbs and mouths quickly devoured a man trying to find shelter for the night. His screams could be heard all over the district but no one chose to do anything. It is against the law for the demon dukes to eat the residents of Senntisten, but who keeps track of the homeless? To report him to one of the Mahjarrat seems like a waste of time. This is my life now, but I know, this life, this fate, is one I will overcome. Tomorrow is a new day, and I will find work.

Chapter 2 - Defending Myself  
While we didn’t live a luxurious life, I always found myself studying the arts of magic. There was something about the spells the Zarosian mages that intrigued me. While I have seen magic from mages from all over the world, I have never seen anything like that of the Empires. Seeing enemies frozen where they stood in blocks of ice to be shattered. Or to see them dragged into the shadows for only their corpse to emerge. These things should send a chill down anyone's spine, but they intrigued me. In my studies I had discovered that demons are weaker to magic than one might think. This was something that I took to heart. When my father died I was given his sword. I imbued it with magical tomes that I “borrowed” from the Senntisten archives. 

That night, I was attacked by some would be muggers, however thanks to my new found knowledge of magic and the use of my father’s sword I made very quick work of them However the robbers were nothing to what would rear its ugly head into this alley next. Maybe it was the smell of the freshly killed, or maybe it was just my luck, but one of Zaros’ demonic dukes made its way around the corner. The slug like creature was covered from head to tail in eyes and mouths, each one fixated on myself and the slain muggers. I could not move, I was paralyzed with fear, the demon made quick work devouring the dead muggers, but it was not satisfied, it wanted more. It wanted...me. 

Chapter 3 - A Broken Pact 

I thought it was all over for me. The flesh of the demon was nearly wrapped around me completely. I wanted to scream, but what was the point? No one cares about the homeless in this city. Damnit! If only I had researched more into stopping demons. Maybe then I would have been able to protect myself. As these thoughts swirled through my mind, I felt a chill through my whole body. Not what I expected to feel as I was to be consumed by a demon. The next thing I knew I was on the ground, covered in whatever slime comes from that thing. I managed to get on all fours and turn around to face the demon, what was I not tasty enough? But no, all of his eyes were lit up, and I swear they would bulge right out of its flesh and roll around on the ground. I was confused as to what was happening. I wanted to run, but I was frozen by fear, and the demon itself looked even more fearful than I could ever imagine. When I was able to fully gain a sense of awareness, I began to notice a purple haze flood through the back alley in which we were in. As the haze grew stronger, it is almost as if the world around us was removed from time itself. The slug like demon tried to flee, but before it was able to tendrils sprung up from the ground securing him in place. As I looked behind me, the purple haze began to take form. A figure cloaked in all purple. When I could finally make it out, I knew instantly who it was. Zaros. 

Chapter 4 - A New Life

It turns out the demon that was trying to eat me that night had chosen the wrong snack. When Zaros fully emerged he informed the demon that he was in breach of their agreement of no longer feeding off the homeless of Senntisten. He was torn apart from every fiber of his being, it's been a few days and the screams still haunt me. After that day, he took me in. He said he saw untapped potential in the way I performed magic, and wanted to see that potential grow. I've gone from a homeless wreck living day to day in the alleys of Senntisten, to living in the grand central palace. This is not how I thought things would end up for me. Zaros informed me that I will begin a new magical training regimine to see if it was possible for humans to gain control of the Shadow Realm. Apparently he sees great value in this ability to best route Saradomin in the westen campaigns. Palace living isn’t that easy, most of his inner circle seem to reject the idea of some homeless kid living within the palace walls, save for Azzanadra, the head of the church, and Zamorak, Zaros’ top general. So I guess with their approval, no one will really speak out against it anymore, well except for Sliske. 

Chapter 5 - Learning the Shadows

I have been pushed to my limits. I sometimes wonder if this is truly a better fate than being homeless? I have spent countless hours, days even going in and out of the Shadow Realm, I have become one with the shadows it feels like. However it is not enough. Everytime I excel at a new task, Zaros seems unpleased, he continues to push me, and I continue to go with it. Is it just some sick desire to please him? Or maybe I agree with his idea that I am not performing at my fullest potential? Yesterday I managed to infiltrate Saradomin’s own base and steal valuable military documents for an upcoming battle. Zamorak was pleased in what I had accomplished, but Zaros just sat on his throne tapping his fingers. I asked him what I did wrong, and he said nothing. He looked at me again and told me the same thing he told me every day. “You have made progressed, but I still see more in you, and you are still not using your new abilities to their fullest potential.'' What else could I do? I wanted to cry, I want to scream at him and say nothing is ever good enough in his eyes, but I just put my bowed my head and left the throne room. If Zaros isn’t going to tell me what he wants, maybe I can find out what he wants from me. 

~~  
That did not go to plan. I decided to spy on Zaros from the Shadow Realm, how foolish was I to think he wouldn’t detect me. But with how long I got away with observing his actions, he had to have known I was there the whole time, so why did he let me near him for so long? I concealed myself well in his throne room through the shadows. I had discovered that some parts of the Shadow Realm were darker and deeper than others, and I decided to hide there. So I listened in on this meeting, when the topic of about me came up, Azzanadra and Zamorak seemed to have got into an argument over his treatment of me. While I know Zaros did not see me, I sensed that he was aware of my presence, as before I knew it I appeared in front of him. Azzanadra and Zamorak seemed to have no idea I was there, only Sliske looked on to what was happening, it was from here I could tell he had also entered the Shadow Realm. I felt like I stood there for an eternity before Zaros spoke, and for once I saw a smile form on his mouth piece. “You still have much more potential in you, but tonight, you have made more progress than I could have asked for.” I was stunned at this. All I could do was kneel in his presence. However, for the first time, my devotion to him felt, genuine. 

Chapter 6 - Rebellion 

I was not present for Zamorak’s rebellion against Zaros. I wish I was. Maybe I could have done something? News travels fast, and the city is in a near state of panic. Azzanadra has assured us all that Zaros is fine, and that the rebellion did not kill Zaros. I wish I could believe him. With Zaros gone, I feel like a fog has lifted from my mind. I can think a bit more clearly now. I have gained this new ability of a master of the Shadow Realm, im almost able to keep up with the trickery of Sliske. I feel powerful enough that maybe I could have protected Zaros from Zamorak’s attacks. But now I also feel like, I am free, free from the watchful eye of the ‘Empty Lord’. And yet, I am filled with sadness and grief. I am not sure what to do. I left the palace and retreated to a small house in Forinithy. I let the grief consume me, and I went to sleep. 

Zaros is not dead. Zamorak was only able to wound him, but not kill him. Where is Zaros I do not know. But I know that he is alive, and that he will one day return to Gelinor. The best I can do is to be ready for the day he returns.  
Chapter 7 - Last Stand?

This seems to be it huh? Senntisten is being stormed on all sides it seems. It took a combined force of Saradomin and Zamorak’s power to seal away Azzanadra and Nex, the biggest two defenders of the Empire that remained. We are a mere days away before the combined forces of both armies are at the gates of Senntisten. Wahisietel is currently trying to turn the armies against each other before they arrive here, but I think all of us left here in the war room know this is futile. I haven’t seen Sliske in awhile either, you would think he could single handedly defend Senntisten with an army of his Wights, but he is nowhere to be found. Not only that but Akthanakos,Nabor and Kharashai have gone missing as well. We truly do have our backs up against a wall here. The new regent that has taken Azzanadra’s place has declared an evacuation of Senntisten into what little territory we have left in Forinthry. There isn’t much else I can do, as a single unit who has use of the Shadow Realm, I can only delay the forces so much. With the evacuation order issued, I could easily just leave. Just pack up everything and leave into the shadows, maybe start a new life as a Freminik? At least lay low until all of this blows over. These thoughts ran through my mind while I retreated to my quarters to pack. However as I sat in my room preparing my own escape I felt an odd presence in my room. One I had not felt in years. Zaros? In the corner of my room, within the shadows, I found a replica of Zaros’ mouthpiece. How long had this been here? I picked it up and brought it back with me into the regular world. As I was about to toss it away, the mouthpiece began to move, and from it, a familiar voice rang through my room. “I still see more potential in you.” I was frozen in my tracks. This was the first time in years since I heard Zaros speak to me. Was I losing it? The mouthpiece continued and said “You have come so far, and have grown so much, only to give up now?” and then, it stopped. It did not speak again. Was this truly Zaros? But what could I do? I'm just one mage, what can I do to prevent this? Or maybe I can’t...but I can prevent something from happening to others. I am running out of pages in this journal. I will have to find a new empty one to continue my thoughts, but I know now what I must do, and it is not simply to run away, at least, not yet. 

There's some writing on the inside back cover of the book, it says “Zaros rewards those who seek their fullest potential.”


End file.
